Sermons Preached on Romans 8, Chapter 4

Sermons Preached on Romans 8 · Chapter 4

p. 142ROM. 8.2.

For the Law of the Spirit of life, in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made me free from the Law of ſin and death.

CHAP. IV. Of the Sinners being made free by the power of the Spirit from the power of Sin and Death.

Of the Connexion of this Verſe with the Former. Some bring in the Words by way of Prolepſis. The proper import of the Particle [For] cleared, and made good againſt the Papiſts. In the Words ſomething imply'd, ſomething expreſs'd. All reduc'd to three Heads; A gracious Deliverance, the Subject, the Author of that deliverance. What Sin is here mainly intended? How far the being made free from it doth reach? Whether it points to the Guilt or Power of Sin? What is meant by the Law of Sin? Of deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death. Paul inſtances in himſelf as the Subject of it: How that is to be taken? Why he ſpeaks in the Singular Number? The Law of the Spirit, &c. opened. A Fourfold Expoſition of the Words. What that is which is in Chriſt Jeſus? is it the Life, or the Spirit, or the Law of the Spirit? In the cloſe one Truth briefly handled, That the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life. How or in p. 143what reſpects he is ſo? Some ſhort Application made thereof.

The Connexion of this Verſe with the Former.THe Apoſtle having in the former Verſe more ſuccinctly laid down that great Truth upon which he deſigned to build his following diſcourſe, he here in this Verſe falls upon the amplifying and enlarging of himſelf about it: and all that he ſays from this Verſe to the Seventeenth is but by way of amplification upon what he had more conciſely ſaid in the Firſt.

'Tis obvious at the firſt view, that this Verſe doth not onelyonly immediately follow but that in its Matter it is link'd and imbodied with the Former; the particle [For] plainly ſhows that 'tis brought in to prove or to explain ſomething there aſſerred, For the Law of the Spirit, &c. Now the Apoſtle having there

1. propounded the happy ſtate of perſons in Chriſt; and

2. having deſcrib'd and characteriz'd thoſe perſons; a Queſtion here doth ariſe Which of theſe Two doth he in this Verſe deſign to prove or open? (I ſay to prove or open, for the Words may come in by way of illuſtration as well as by way of proof or argumentation)

For anſwer to which, I ſee nothing of reaſon why**Hinc utrumque depender, quod Verſu praecedenti ſtatuit. Prius &c. Lud. de Die…. both may not be taken in; the Words will bear a fair reference both to the One and to the Other too.

1. Firſt, as to the Priviledge. He had ſaid [there is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus]; now this being the great prop or pillar of the Believers faith and hope, he will therefore faſten it ſure: he is not ſatisfied barely to affirm it, but hee'l confirm and make it good, and alſo ſhow how 'tis brought about.

For the Proof of it, he firſt brings this Argument, They who are freed from the Law of Sin and Death, to them there is no condemnation; But ſuch who are in Chriſt are thus freed from the Law of Sin and Death, Ergo &c. All the difficulty lying in the Minor Propoſition he ſhewes how this freedom from the Law of Sin and Death is effected: and as to that, he ſaith 'tis [by the Law of the Spirit of Life]. Which being done (in this method) in and for Believers, they are in no danger of condemnation.

For the explication of it (if you take the Words in that notion), the Apoſtle ſets down the Way and Manner how this Non condemnation is carried on. That is done two ways, partly by the Spirit of Chriſt, partly by the Merit of Chriſt: In order to the Sinners Juſtification and Salvation two things are neceſſary,

1. he muſt be freed from the tyranny, uſurpation, and dominion of ſin:

2. he muſt be p. 144freed too from the guilt of Sin, and the Juſtice of God muſt be ſatisfied.

Now (ſaith the Apoſtle) Both of theſe are accordingly done; the Former, by the Spirit of Chriſt, (which is ſpoken to in this Second Verſe), the Latter, by the Merit or Satisfactory Obedience of Chriſt in his own Perſon (which is ſpoken to in the Third and Fourth Verſes). Thus the Apoſtle clears up the way and method of God in the bringing about of the Non-condemnation of Believers; and this in the double reference which the Words will bear with reſpect to the Priviledge.

2. Then Secondly they way refer too to the Character or Deſcription [who walk not after, &c.] It might be ask'd, How doth the truth of this appear (viz.) that perſons in Chriſt do thus walk? or rather, How comes it about that Such do arrive at this ſpiritual courſe? The Apoſtle anſwers, The Law of the Spirit of Life hath freed Such from the Law of Sin: (q. d.) I have ſpoken of the holy and heavenly courſe of Believers, and do not wonder at it, you may believe me in what I have aſſerted, for the mighty power of the Spirit of God having ſubdued Sin and broke its ſtrength and dominion in theſe perſons, upon this they are brought to holy walking, or therefore they do ſo walk. In this reference ſeveral**Lex ſpiritus vitae quae pertinet ad gratiam, & liberat à lege peccati & mortis, facit ut non concupiſcamus, & impleamus juſſa legis, &c. Auguſt. Octoginr. Quaeſt. p. 575. t. 4. Verius & certius eſt, quod hoc verſiculo rationem reddere Apoſtolus voluerit, non illorum verborum [nihil nunc damnationis], ſed cur hanc quaſi conditionem illis verbis adjecerit, [iis qui non ſecundum carnem ambulant]. Stapl. Antidot. p. 625. The Apoſtle proves the Spiritual walking à cauſa procreante, quae eſt Spiritus Sanctus. Piſcat. He gives a reaſon why the true members of Chriſt do walk according to the Spirit. Deod. Expoſiters carry the Words; (but this for their Connexion).

Some Divines make them to be (in part) Proleptical; as if the Apoſtle, foreſeeing ſome Objections which might be made againſt what he had laid down, did here deſign to prevent and anticipate thoſe Objections. For as to both the forementioned Things, doubts and diſcouragements might ariſe in ſome who were in Chriſt: They might object thus, Bleſſed Paul! thou ſaiſt there is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt, but how can this be? what? ſo much Sin and Guilt, and yet no Condemnation? can we (who are nothing but a very maſs of Sin) be thus ſafe and ſecure as to our eternal ſtate? O this we ſcarce know how to believe! And (again) thou ſpeakeſt of Walking not after the Fleſh but after the Spirit, alas! who do thus walk? when we have ſo much of Fleſh in us, and that doth ſo often draw us to carnal acts, &c. how is this qualification practicable?

p. 145To obviate this double Objection or Diſcouragement the Apoſtle brings in theſe Words; in which he renders both the Priviledge and the Property (of perſons intereſted in it) real and credible, (viz) by their being freed from the Law of Sin and Death through the Law of the Spirit. 'Tis as if he had ſaid, 'tis too true that even ſuch who are in Chriſt will have Sin in them, and ſin will (too often) be committed by them; yet for all this I ſay that ſuch ſhall not be condemned, why? becauſe they are freed from the Law of Sin, and ſo conſequently from the Law of Death: Sin (I grant) is in them but 'tis not a Law in them or to them; it ſtill keeps its reſidence in them but its reign, its commanding power is gone; now where it is not commanding it ſhall not be condemning: So then (this notwithſtanding) the foundation of a Believers Safety and Comfort ſtands firm and unſhaken.

And for the Other diſcouragement, here is a kind of tacit and implicit Conceſſion that the people of God are Fleſh as well as Spirit, and that as to ſome particular acts through infirmity they may follow the guidance and motions of the Fleſh; but yet they are not under the Law and command of the Fleſh, why? becauſe they are freed from the Law of Sin; there is another Law which hath thruſt out that Law of Sin (viz.) the Law of the Spirit. Indeed time was when they were at the beck and command of the Fleſh, when they walked after it; but the Law of the Spirit having taken hold of them, now (for the main) they do not, they cannot walk after the Fleſh.

The force of the is Particle [FOR] opened.I come more ſtrictly and narrowly to look into the Words; [For the Law of the Spirit of Life, &c.] 'Tis a Scripture that either is dark in it ſelf, or elſe 'tis made ſo by the various and different interpretations put upon it. Which before I can well ſpeak to, the firſt word [For] muſt be a little conſidered; and the rather, becauſe 'tis made uſe of and inſiſted upon in ſome matters of Controverſie. That which unites Verſe and Verſe, divides party and party; this little Word is made to bear its part in ſome ſharp Conteſts, and though to us at the firſt view it may ſeem but inconſiderable, yet 'tis not ſo to the ROMANISTS who (in their arguings againſt PROTESTANTS) make no ſmall uſe of it. They tell us that 'tis here to be taken**Subſcribit cauſam praedictae liberationis. Soto. Apoſtolus hanc libertatem à lege peccati per Spiritum Dei, ponit ut cauſam ejus quod prius dixerat. Stapl. Antid. p. 625. (With many Others.) cauſally, as containing in it the Ground of Juſtification; that it points to inherent Righteouſneſs as the Cauſe of the Non-condemnation before ſpoken of; and by this they attempt to prove, that the Believer is not juſtified by the imputed righteouſneſs of Chriſt, but by his own perſonal inherent righteouſneſs. p. 146For (ſay they) the Apoſtle having ſaid that there is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt, he proves it from inherent righteouſneſs as the proper and formal cauſe of it; there is no Condemnation For the Law of the Spirit, &c. And (that the Argument may be the more preſſing and concluding to us PROTESTANTS) they urge, that Calvin and Beza themſelves do make this Law of the Spirit of Life to point to grace, regeneration, inherent righteouſneſs.

To whom I reply, 1. That 'tis not ſafe (either for Them or Ʋs), in matters of great moment to lay too great a ſtreſs upon little Words (which onelyonly joyn Verſe and Verſe together), unleſs that which we build upon them or infer from them, do agree with other Scriptures where the Thing is fully and profeſſedly handled. I dare not undervalue the leaſt, the meaneſt particle in God's Word; yet I would be loath to bottom a fundamental Article of Faith upon ſuch a particle, (eſpecially when it admits of various ſenſes, as this here doth), if it hath not the current of the Word to back it. For our Opinion of Juſtification by the alone righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to the Sinner and laid hold on by Faith, we ground it upon ſeveral full and entire Diſcourſes where our Apoſtle doth profeſſedly handle that Argument, proving Juſtification to be according to what we hold: But our Adverſaries to prove their juſtification by inherent righteouſneſs, very often (I do not ſay always) catch at ſome little ſingle word, and that they make the foundation which they build this Opinion upon. In ſhort, againſt this [For] in the Text (I mean too onelyonly as they pervert it, for in truth they have not ſo much as even this little Word to favour them), we ſet the whole third, fourth, fifth Chapter of this Epiſtle to the Romans, where the Apoſtle in a full diſcourſe upon it doth plainly lay Juſtification upon imputed, not upon inherent righteouſneſs: and which of us now do build upon the ſureſt and ſafeſt bottom?

2. What if this particle (ſuppoſing it to be Cauſal) doth point to the deſcription of the perſons, and not to the priviledge? (ſome of their own**Stapl. ut prius. Tolet. Cauſam exponit cur qui ſunt in Chriſto non ſecundum carnem ambulant. Authors do carry it ſo), where then is the ſtrength of their Argument from it to prove the fonmal Cauſe of No Condemnation? All that then can be deduced from the Words is this, that Grace in the heart is the Cauſe of an holy life; that men upon regeneration are delivered from the Law of Sin, and therefore they walk not after the Fleſh but after the Spirit; what is this againſt us? And (with reſpect to their Gloſſes) who queſtions or denies inherent righteouſneſs? or that that doth free from ſin? provided you take it with a double limitation,

(1.) that the freeing from Sin upon regeneration be underſtood of the taking away its power:

(2.) that it be not carried ſo far p. 147as quite to juſtle out imputed righteouſneſs, or ſet ſo high as to have that attributed to it which is onelyonly proper to Chriſts righteouſneſs.

Our**Si Spiritus vitae vivificans, Sanctificans, &c. Ergo liberati ſumus à Lege peccati & mortis, Regeneratione, Sanctificatione, non ſolâ Juſtitiae imputatione; Gratia ergo inhaerens eſt quae liberat à peccato. Contz. Quaeſt. 1. in Verſ. 2. cap. 8. ad Rom. Torſit hic locus tàm Calvinum quam Bezam, quia inhaerentem Juſtitiam per veram peccati victoriam luculentèr probat, & imputativam ſubvertit. Stapl. Antidot. p. 625. Adverſaries miſrepreſent our Opinions, and trouble themſelves (in a great meaſure) to prove that which we never deny, and then aſperſe us as though we did deny it.

3. 'Tis one thing to be the Proof of a thing, another thing to be the Cauſe of that thing. Regeneration indeed proves Juſtification (for every regenerate perſon is a juſtified perſon), but 'tis not the cauſe of juſtification; for the perſon is not therefore juſtified becauſe he is regenerated, but becauſe Chriſt's righteouſneſs by Faith is made over to him. 'Tis one thing to ſay, therefore a man lives becauſe he hath ſenſe and moves, and another thing to ſay, therefore a man lives becauſe he hath a living Soul in him; the Senſe and motion prove the life, but 'tis the living Soul which is the cauſe of life: So here, the Believer ſhall not be condemned becauſe the Law of the Spirit of Life, &c. this evinces the certainty of the thing but 'tis not the proper Cauſe of it. So that the [For] in the Text is onelyonly Nota probationis, but not cauſalitatis, (and ſo 'tis uſed up and down in the Goſpel in very many places).

4. 'Tis very true that(a)(a)Legem Spiritus impropriè vocat Dei Spiritum, qui animas noſtras Chriſti ſanguine aſpergit, non tantum ut à peccati labe emundet quoad reatum, ſed ut in veram pietatem ſanctificet. Calvin. Calvin (in part) doth interpret the Words of regeneration and inherent righteouſneſs; but then (foreſeeing the Objection that would be made upon it) he explains himſelf about it, and ſaith(b)(b)Siquis excipiat veniam ergo quâ ſepeliuntur noſtra delicta pendete à regeneratione, facilis eſt ſolutio: Non aſſignari cauſam à Paulo, ſed modum tradi duntaxae, quo ſolvimur à reatu. Calvin. If any ſhall reply that then pardon or juſtification doth depend upon regeneration; the Anſwer (ſays he) is obvious, Paul doth not ſet down the Cauſe wherefore we are abſolved from Guilt, onelyonly the Manner wherein this is done. He adds further,(c)(c)Perinde valet haec ſententia, ac ſi dixiſſet Paulus Regenerationis Gratiam ab imputatione Juſtitiae nunquam disjungi. 'Tis as much as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, that regeneration is never ſeparated or parted from the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſs: So that he doth, not argue for Non-condemnation or Juſtification from inherent righteouſneſs as the proper Cauſe of it, but onelyonly as theſe two always go together, and as this is the order and method of God wherein he juſtifies. p. 148And 'tis true too that**Legem Spiritus Vitae, nec pro lege fidei, &c. ſed pro ejus efficaciâ, per quam peccatum (i. e.) corruptio ipſaque adeo mors ſensìm aboletur, ut docet infra V. 10. & 11. denique pro Regenerationis gratiâ accipio, cui opponitur carnis (i. e.) Naturae noſtrae corruptio. Beza. Beza doth take in here (under the Law of the Spirit) Regeneration and Sanctification; but then 'tis very well known what he makes to be the Law of the Spirit of Life principally, (viz.) the Sanctity and Holineſs of Chriſt's humane Nature, which (he ſaith) being imputed to the Believer he is thereupon juſtified. **In his verbis Calvinum Orthodoxae & Auguſtinianae expoſitioni conformitè dicere, quis dubitaverit? ſed audiantur reliqua, & impoſtoris technae ac fraudes apparebunt. Stapl. ubi ſupra. Quam Legem Spiritus cum probè intellexiſſent recentiores Haeretici, perperam transferunt, non ad Gratiam juſtis inhaer…ntem, ſed ad externam Chriſti juſtitiam, quam robis quodaminodo affingi volunt & imputari. JuſtinAnd now Calvin and Beza have loſt all their credit: So long as they expounded the Words of inherent righteouſneſs they were very ſound and orthodox, but now they thus explain themſelves no Cenſures are ſevere enough for them; now (if Stapleton may be believed) they are not adulteratores ſed carnifices Verbi Dei. I know Pareus (to avoid the Popiſh Objection) cloſes with another interpretation of the Words; but there's no neceſſity for that (as I conceive). In ſhort (as was ſaid in the handling of the foregoing Verſe) we are for inherent righteouſneſs as well as our Oppoſers, (though they are pleaſed very freely to**Becanus Opuſe de Juſtif. Calviniſt. c. 2. Coſteri Enchir. c. 6. p. 220. Campian. Rat. 8.—Againſt which Calumny vide Chamier. tom. 3. lib. 1. cap. 2. calumniate us, as if we denied the Thing becauſe we deny it to be the Cauſe or Ground of Juſtification). We are for infallibilis nexus an inſeparable connexion betwixt Juſtification and Sanctification, where there is the blood there is the water alſo, (for Chriſt came by both 1 Joh. 5.6). We further hold, that Regeneration, Habitual and Actual Righteouſneſs, are the indiſpenſible Conditions of eternal life and abſolutely neceſſary thereunto: Nay, ſome worthy**Pareus in Reſponſ. ad Dub. 2. pag. 773. With ſome eminent Divines of our own. Divines go ſo far as to make them Cauſa ſine quâ non even with reſpect to Juſtification. But all this is nothing unleſs we make them the proper, formal cauſe of Juſtification; which we cannot do, that being a thing ſo diametrically oppoſite to Goſpel-revelation. This block being removed out of my way, now I proceed.

[The Law of the Spirit of Life, &c.] In the Former Verſe you had contrary Principles (Fleſh and Spirit), in this you have contrary Laws: here is Law in oppoſition to Law, the Law of the Spirit ſet againſt the Law of Sin, the Law of the Spirit of Life againſt the Law of Death; the Law of Sin inſlaving us againſt the Law of the Spirit freeing us from that ſlavery.

In the Words ſomething is imply'd, and ſomething is expreſs'd:

That which is imply'd is this, That all Men (the very beſt of them) p. 149for a time (viz.) till they be converted, are under the Law of Sin and Death.

That which is expreſs'd is this, that Believers by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death. The Opening of theſe things will be my preſent buſineſs, for I cannot well pitch upon the Doctrinal Obſervations till I have cleared up the Senſe of the Words and the Apoſtles main Scope and deſign in them.

The Words ſumm'd up under three General Heads. Firſt General Opened, (viz.) the Gracious Deliverance.In order to which, I will reduce the whole Matter contained in them to theſe Three Heads, A Gracious Deliverance, the Subject, the Author or Efficient of that Deliverance.

1. Here's a gracious Deliverance, [—hath made me free from the Law of Sin, and Death]. As to the Firſt of theſe (if you conſider them as diſtinct) the being made free from the Law of Sin, for the better underſtanding thereof I deſire you to take notice of the following Particulars

1. That by [Sin] the Apoſtle chiefly aims at the Root Sin, the Sin of Nature, or the ſinful depraved Nature which is in falt'n Man. 'Tis the ſame with the [Fleſh] ſpoken of before, as alſo with the indwelling Sin, the Law in the members, &c. (in the foregoing Chapter). This is that Sin which hath the greateſt power in and over the Soul. Particular and Actual Sins do but derive their power from this; all that dominion and ſtrength which they have is but delegated, the Supream, Sovereign, Original dominion of Sin is ſeated in the corrupt Nature: there chiefly is that Law of Sin which Believers are freed from; (yet in ſubordination to this, the power of particular ſins and deliverance from that is here alſo to be taken in).

2. The Apoſtle doth not ſay, that Believers are ſimply and abſolutely made free from Sin, onelyonly that they are made free from the [Law of Sin]. There's a**Non ſunt idem Peccatum, & Lex peccati; Peccatum eſt vitium inhabitans in Carne, Lex Peccati dominium peccati, quod in Carne non regenitorum plenè exercet. Ab hoc peccati inhabitantis dominio, efficacia Spiritus regenerantis liberat fideles, fraenando illud non vero penit ùs tollendo. Pareus. Attendendum, quod non dicit &: Non enim Gratia hominem impeccabilem reddit, ſed fomitis vim minuit &c. Corn. Muſs. Nos it a à morte & peccato liberati fumus, ut tamen horum malorum non parum adhuc ſuperſit. Pet. Mart. great difference betwixt Sin and the Law of Sin: a total freedome from the Former none have in this life, (no, not they who are moſt under the Law of the Spirit). The deareſt of Gods Children muſt wait for that till they come to Heaven (the onelyonly place and State of Perfection); there they ſhall be perfectly, compleatly freed from ſin, yea, from the very Being of it, but here the utmoſt that they can arrive at is to be freed from its power (in Regeneration), p. 150and from its guilt (in Juſtification). The Text therefore doth not ſpeak of abſolute freedom from Sin, for that being unattainable here below is yet to come, (and ſo it falls under the glorious liberty of the Sons of God mentioned Verſe 21): but the being made free in the Text is ſpoken of as a thing that is paſt, [hath made me free, &c.]; and therefore it muſt be limited to freedom from the Law of Sin onelyonly.

3. There is in this life a Twofold Freedom from Sin, the One reſpects its Guilt, the Other its Power. 'Tis a Law in both reſpects: in reference to Guilt, as it binds the Creature over to anſwer at Gods Barr for what he hath done, and makes him obnoxious to punniſhment: in reference to Power, as it rules, commands, and exerciſes a ſtrange kind of Tyranny and Dominion over the Sinner. Now Believers are freed from Sin in both of theſe reſpects, namely (as was ſaid but juſt now) in Juſtification from the guilt, in Regeneration from the power of it.

But here a Queſtion muſt be reſolved, (viz.) Which doth the Apoſtle here ſpeak of? which of theſe two parts of the Saints Freedome from Sin is here primarily and principally intended?

For Anſwer to which, Divines do ſomewhat differ about it.(a)(a)Non damnatur niſi qui Concupiſcentiae Carnis conſentit ad malum; Lex enim Spiritus vitae in Chriſto Jeſu liberavit te à Lege peccati & mortis, ne ſcil. conſenſionem tuam concupiſcentia Carnis ſibi vindicet. Auguſt. contra duas Pelag. Ep. lib. 1. cap. 10. Liberavit, quomodo? niſi quia ejus reatum peccatorum omnium remiſſione diſſolvit (Lex Spiritus vitae in Chriſlo), ut quamvis adhuc maneret—in peccatum tamen non imputetur. Idem de Nup. & Concup. lib. 1. cap. 32. Auſtine took in Both, and therefore he ſometimes opens it by the One, ſometimes by the Other. Amongſt Modern Expoſitors (b)(b)A jure peceati (i. e.) à reatn &c. Pet. Martyr. Liberatio haec non eſt Regeneratio, quâ liberamur ex parte à peccato inhaerente, ſed eſt peccatorum remiſſio, quâ liberamur non ex parte, ſed plenè, perfecteque à peccatorum quorumcunque remiſſione. Rolloc. Paulò poſt ſatis patebit de abſolutione gratuitâ loqui, &c. Calvin.Some interpret the Words of Freedome from the guilt of ſin, they making them chiefly to point to that grace which is given out in Juſtification: (c)(c)Liberavit regenerando ad novam vitam. Baza.—Ut intelligamus Legem Spiritus non ſolum hoc in nobis agere, quòd non condemnemur propter imputationem juſtitiae, ſed & vim peccati in nobis extinguere, ut jam non regnet in nobis peccatum, ſed Gratia & virtus Chriſti. Muſcul.Others interpret them of Freedome from the power of ſin, they referring them to that grace which is proper to Regeneration. The Opinion of the Latter I prefer, and ſhall follow in the inſuing Diſcourſe: I conceive, the Law of Sin mainly refers to the power of Sin, and therefore the freedome from the Law of Sin muſt alſo mainly refer to the being freed from the power of Sin. As to the taking p. 151away of its Guilt, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks to in the following Verſe, (for that's the condemning of it there mentioned); in this Verſe the taking away of its dominion was chiefly in his eye. You have him (Chap. 7.) ſadly complaining of the Law in his Members, of the Law of Sin; now nothing more evident than that he thereby deſigns to ſet forth, not Sins guilt, but that great (though not full) power and ſtrength which Sin had in him, and if that be the proper notion of the Law of Sin there; then why not here? And beſides, the Word here uſed [foreign] hath made free, both in Scripture and alſo in Common Authors uſually notes the freeing of One who is under bondage and ſlavery: it doth not ſo properly note the freeing of a Malefactor from his Guilt, and from that condemnatory ſentence which he deſerves; as the freeing of a Slave or Captive who is under the Tyranny and Dominion of another; and ſo it falls in exactly with that notion of freedome which I am upon. Therefore the Arabick Tranſlator well renders it by Emancipavit me à lege peccati, & mortis; and**Tertull. de Reſur. Carn. cap. 46. legit, manumiſit me. Fuimus enim quaſi mancipia peccati & mortis, ſed à Chriſto manumiſſi & libertate donati ſumus. A-Lapide. Tertullian by Manumiſit me, (in alluſion to the Manumiſſion of the Romans when they ſet their Servants or Slaves at liberty): O when a man is once regenerated he hath a bleſſed manumiſſion, he being made free from that curſed ſervitude wherein he liv'd before under this cruel Maſter, Sin. I ſay, this is the ſtrict and proper notion of the word; which though ('tis true) it be here applied to Death as well as to Sin, yet that is either in a more large and improper Senſe, (for the Apoſtle having firſt ſpoken of freedome from ſin, and ſet it forth by that term which was proper to it, he was not ſollicitous to be ſo accurate as to vary his expreſſion for the Other, but would make the ſame to ſerve for both); or elſe becauſe there is a bondage in Death as well as in Sin, and therefore [foreign] will agree with it as well as with ſin. And I deſire that this may be conſidered (which I lay a great ſtreſs upon), the Apoſtle in this Verſe ſpeaks of the Spirit perſonally conſidered, as in the next Verſe of the Son perſonally conſidered alſo: it being ſo, we muſt then interpret their ſeveral [making free from ſin] according to that which is proper to them in their perſonal conſideration. Now 'tis the Spirits perſonal act to free (by regeneration) from Sins power, as 'tis the Sons perſonal act (by ſatisfaction) to free from Sins guilt; therefore the Firſt is meant in this Verſe (where the Spirit is mentioned), as the Second is meant it the next Verſe (where the Son is mentioned).

4. [The Law of Sin]: 'Tis a Metaphor which our Apoſtle often uſes and in which he ſeems much to delight; you have it often Rom. 7. (V. 21.) I find a Law, that when I would do good, evil is p. 152preſent with me: (V. 23.) But I ſee another Law warring againſt the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of ſin, which is in my members: (V. 25.) With my mind I my ſelf ſerve the Law of God, but with the fleſh the Law of ſin. What this Law of ſin is, and in what reſpects it paſſes under this Appellation, hereafter ſhall be opened: at preſent onelyonly in General obſerve, that this metaphorical expreſſion notes the(a)(a)Ex adverſo, Legem peccati & mortis appellat Carnis imperium, & (quae inde conſequitur) mortis tyrannidem: Calv. A peccato inhabitante, quod inſtar Legis mihi imperabat malas actiones, & ad eas me impellebat. Piſcat. Eſt Lex peccati, quia ad peccatum movet incitatque velut Lex quaedam. Eſtius. A Lege peccati (i. e.) à Lege fomitis, quae inclinat ad peccandum, vel à Lege peccati (i. e.) à conſenſu & operatione peccati, quod hominem tenet ligatum per modum Legis. Aquin.—Dum abſolvuntur à Dominio peccati ſuper ipſos, ab obligatione conformandi voluntarias ſuas operationes Legi pecca…i, à quo vinculo non abſolvebat Lex. Cajetan. A Lege peccati, h. e. à dictamine, jure, dominatu, reatu concupiſcentiae. A-Lap. Power, Dominion, Tyranny of ſin. Some make the Law of ſin to be no more than barely: ſin it ſelf; but (I think) it carries a ſpecial reference to and ſuper adds the Adjunct of Sin. the power of it. And(b)(b)Elegantiùs vertiſſet à jure peccati. Eraſin. Some would have us read it the Right of ſin rather than the Law of ſin; (the matter comes much to one).

So much for the being, made free from the Law of Sin: In the opening of which, as yet I have not taken any notice of the O pinion of Some who make the Law of Sin to be the Old Moſaical Law; but by and by I will. It follows [and Death]: Now this is either one and the ſame with ſin as being onelyonly an Epethite, for it, (ſo(c)(c)—foreign. Oecum.—Apoſtolus conjunctionem interpoſuit, codem tamen ſenſu, ac ſi peccatum mortiferum, foreign dixiſſet. Piſcat. Several expound it); [Sin and Death] that is deadly Sin or Sin which is of a deadly nature. As the Spirit of life is the living ſpirit, ſo Sin and Death is no more than deadly ſin; 'tis an expreſſion like that of the Poet, —Pateris libavit, & auro; (i. e. aureis pateris). Or elſe you may take it as diſtinct from ſin: and ſo there is a double Deliverance held forth in the Words, One from the Law of Sin, an Other from the Law of Death: (thus the moſt of(d)(d)foreign. Theodoret. Confer ſupra cap. 7.23 & 24. ubi utriuſque Legis, neinpe Legis Peccati & Mortis mentio facta eſt: Quare non videtur hic eſſe Figura foreign. Vorſtius in Schol. Interpreters open it). The Law of Sin is always attended with the Law of Death, and freedome from the Law of Sin is always attended with freedome from the Law of Death: the power and dominion of Death ſtands or falls by the power and dominion of Sin.

p. 153But what is this Law of Death?

**Auguſt. contra Fortunat. Diſput. 2.Auſtine anſwers, the Law of ſin is Whoever ſins ſhall dye, the Law of Death is Duſt thou art and to duſt ſhalt thou return. **Lex mortis eſt mortuum perſeverare mortuum; eſt de morte non eſſe reditum ad vitam. Cajes.Cajetan makes it to be permanentia in morte the abiding or continuance in the ſtate of Death: So Believers are freed from it; for though they may for a time be ſubjected under it yet it ſhad not always have power over them, ſo as to hold them forever (as the Word is uſed concerning Chriſt Acts 2.24); they ſhall ariſe and live again: they are not under the Law (i. e.) the everlaſting, evercontinuing, full power and ſtrength of Death. You have Ver. 10, 11. the matter of this Explication; If Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin, but the Spirit is life becauſe of righteouſneſs: But if the Spirit of him that raiſed up Jeſus from the dead dwell in you, he that raiſed up Chriſt from the dead ſhall alſo quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. But to paſs theſe by! as the Law of Sin is the power of ſin, ſo the Law of Death is that power and right which it hath over Men by reaſon of ſin; for it hath its empire and dominion as well as ſin. Therefore as you read of the reigning of ſin, ſo alſo you read of the reigning of Death; Rom. 5.14. But death reigned from Adam to Moſes; [foreign] it reigned as a King (as the word imports). Death is either Temporal or Eternal, both of which carry that in them which may give them the Title or Denomination of a Law; but regenerate perſons upon the Law of the Spirit of Life are freed from both: From the firſt, not ſimply and abſolutely but onelyonly in a reſtrained ſenſe (viz.) as 'tis (ſtrictly) a Curſe, or the fruit and product of that primitive Curſe Gen. 2.17. From the ſecond, as it notes eternal condemnation (for theſe two are all**Ut ſibi reſpondeant Mors & damnatio. Eſtius. one) they are abſolutely freed. This Death, they being in Chriſt and by the ſanctifying Spirit delivered from the Law of ſin, hath no power or authority over them; (I ſay) no authority, for 'tis foreign Rev. 20.6.—on ſuch the ſecond death hath no power. This is the Firſt General in the Words, that Gracious Deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death which they hold forth.

Second General.The Second is the Subject of this deliverance. This the Apoſtle puts down in his own Perſon, The Law of the Spirit &c. hath made [me] free from the Law of ſin and death. Here is Enallage Perſonae the change of the Perſon, 'twas [them] in the foregoing Verſe, 'tis [me] in this. I have already obſerved (and I would now more fully open it), that our apoſtle throughout this whole Chapter (wherein he mainly treats of the Saints Priviledges), ſpeaks altogether in the Plural Number, excepting onelyonly this one Verſe. 'Tis true, where p. 154he is ſpeaking of ſome high act of Grace (as performed by himſelf), there he purs it in the Singular Number: as (Ver. 18.) [I reckon] that the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which ſhall be revealed in us: And ſo too, where he is ſpeaking of ſome high Aſſurance (a thing not ſo common), there alſo he expreſſes it in the Singular Number; as (Ver. 38.) For [I am perſunded] that neither, &c. But wherever the great and fundamental priviledges of Believers are before him, there he always expreſſes himſelf in the Plural Number, then 'tis [us] altogether. And 'tis obſervable, that oven where he ſpeaks of himſelf (as to ſome ſpecial act, or enjoyment), yet even there (as to the main Priviledge) he takes in all the people of God: You may ſee this made good in the two fore-mentioned places; 'tis [I reckon] but 'tis the glory that ſhall be revealed [in us]; and 'tis [I am perſuaded] but 'tis ſhall ſeparate [us] from the love of God. Well! here he puts in himſelf as the Subject of the Priviledge: but 'tis not to exclade or ſhut out Others, onelyonly he propounds himſelf as one great Inſtance of freedome: from the Law of ſin by the Law of the Spirit; here is application and appropriation (as to himſelf), but no impropriation or excluſion (with reſpect to Others). He that had ſo much of Faith and Experience as to be able to apply this to himſelf, had withall ſo much of Knowledge and Wiſdom as to know, that it was with Others (yea, with all regenerate perſons) juſt as it was with himſelf. And therefore 'tis in the**Obſervandum eſt, in causâ Gratiae nullum eſſe inter Apoſtolum, & quemvis Chriſtianum (duntaxat verum) diſcrimen: Non eſt quod dicamus Paulus ſuit Apoſtolus, nos non item; ex eo quod ſibi contigit per gratiam Chriſti, probat hoc quod tribuit omnibus Chriſtianis. Muſcul. Continet Argumentum á Teſtimonio, viz. experientia Apoſtoli, & ita fimul Argumentum á Pari, quod enim Apoſtolus in ſe expertus fuerat, id pari ratione omnes credentes in ſe experiuntur, nempe operationem illam Spiritus Sancti regenerantis. Piſeas. Non ego ſolus ſed omnes quotquot in Jeſu Chriſto ſunt, &c. Zuingl. Me, & fidelem quemvis. Gomar. i. e. quemvis verè Chriftianum. Grot. Pronomen (me) demonſtrat ipſum in Chriſto ambulantem, &c. perſonam fiquidem talium induit. Cajes. In corum perſonâ de ſe Apoſtolus loquitur haec verba. Eſtius. Soto will be ſure to extend it far though, for be gloſſes upon it Me, i. e. Gonus humanum. perſons of all theſe that he here thus ſpeaks, and this [me] is incluſive not excluſive; every Child of God in the world may ſay as here Paul doth, the Law of the Spirit of Life, in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death: and (indeed) every Believer ſhould be ſo well acquainted with the workings of the Spirit of God upon his own heart, as to be able to apply this to himſelf.

But why doth Paul here particularize himſelf, and ſpeak thus in the Singular Number in this place rather than in Others? I anſiver.

p. 1551. Becauſe he looked upon himſelf as a pattern. And indeed God all along dealt with him as ſo; in reference to pardoning grace he was a pattern; 1 Tim. 1.16.—that in me firſt Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all long ſuffering, for a pattern, &c. So in reference to renewing grace he ſhall be a pattern too. God would (and did) ſo effectually work upon him in the miraculous changing of him, in the mighty reſcuing of him from the power of ignorance, carnal confidence, prejudices againſt Chriſt, enmity to the Goſpel and the Profeſſors thereof, that he ſhould be foreign for a pattern to all that ſhould be converted of the freeneſs and efficacy of converting Grace. And therefore if He was thus freed from the Law of ſin it ſhould then be ſo with Others alſo, for what was done to him was not done to him as a meer ſingle or private perſon, but as to One that was to be an inſtance or pattern of the Grace of God towards many.

2. Becauſe he was the Complainer therefore he ſhall be the Triumpher; becauſe he was the Combater therefore he ſhall be the Conqueror. And as you have him in the**Ponit ſe pro Exemplo, ut prius infirmitatum & Luctae, ita nunc fiduciae: Imo verbis quaſi praeit, quibus ſinguli hanc conſolationem nobis applicemus. Pareus. foregoing Chapter (in the perſon of Believers), complaining of the Law of ſin; ſo here you ſhall have him (in the perſon of Believers too) triumphing over the Law of ſin, he being made free from it by another and an higher Law. But to cloſe this Head! be thou who thou wilt, if thou beeſt a gracious perſon and one upon whom the Spirit hath put forth his efficacious power, thou as well as Paul art made free from the Law of ſin. Therefore to make this the more indefinite and univerſal, the Syriac (not without an Emphaſis ſaith**Et quidem non ſine Emphaſi quaſi admonente Paulo, ut ſinguli credentes hoc ſibi beneficium applicent. Beza. Beza) reads it not [me] but [thee]; the Law of the Spirit of Life hath made [thee] free from the Law, &c.

The Third General in the Words is the Author or Efficient of this freedome from the Law of Sin and Death, and the way or manner how 'tis effected; 'tis by the Spirit of Life, and 'tis by the Law of the Spirit &c. Now here lies the greateſt difficulty, and that wherein Expoſitors do moſt differ: I find no leſs than Four ſeveral Interpretations put upon theſe Words.

1. Firſt Some would have them to refer to the ſanctity and perfect holineſs of Chriſt's Humane Nature. This (ſay they) is the [Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus], and the [Law] of the Spirit of Life is the power and virtue of Chriſt's unſpotted holineſs and purity, to acquit and make free the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death, (h. e.) from the guilt of ſin and Condemnation: So that they bring the matter to this, the Habitual righteouſneſs of Chriſt (as Man) being imputed and made over to the Believer, upon this he is diſcharged from all guilt and look'd upon by God in Chriſt as p. 156perfectly righteous. This Interpretation is that which**Cùm adeò imbecilla ſit vis Spiritus in nobis, quomodo inde poſſumus colligere, nullam eſſe condemnationem, &c. quoniam (inquit) vis iſta Spiritus vivificantis, quae tàm imbecilla eſt in nobis, perfectiſſima & potentiſſima eſt in Chriſto, & nobis credentibus imputata, facit ut perinde cenſeamur, ac ſi nullae prorſus reliquiae corruptionis & mortis in nobis inhaererent.—Nunc autem de perfectâ ſanctitatis humanae naturae Chriſti imputatione diſterit, &c. Beza in Paraphr. Diſtinguit Legem Spiritus vitae quae eſt in ipſo Chriſto Jeſu, ab eâ quae in nobis eſt ab co effecta, (i▪ e.) perfectam naturae noſtrae in Chriſto ſanctificationem, ab eâ quae in nobis eſt duntaxat inchoata: Nam illa quidem nobis imputata cum perfecta ſit nos liberavit, &c. Explicandum eſt igitur iſtud, de tertiâ Juſtificationis noſtrae gratuitae parte, quae conſiſtit in Sanctificatione ipsâ Jeſu Chriſti nobis communicata. Idem in Notis. (Et porro), Vis illa Spiritus vivifici cujus fons eſt in Chriſti carne, facit ut peccatum ſeu vitioſitas illa, cu us reliquiae adhuc in me ſuperſunt, & quae me alioqui condemnationi adjudicarent, efficere nequeat ut conde …ner, quoniaru quod eſt in me duntaxat inchoatum, in Chriſto perfectiſſimum eſt, cui ſum inſitus. This way goes Hemingius, Elton, Parr, Streſo, &c. Th…s Downham interprets it, Of Juſtific. Book 1. Chap. 3. Several Expoſitors (ſome of Whom are of great Eminency) do pitch upon: Yet (with ſubmiſſion) I ſhall crave leave to prefer another before it.

For 'tis very well known (though I ſhall not in the leaſt concern my ſelf therein), that ſome very worthy Perſons do queſtion the truth of the Thing, (viz.) the formal imputation of Chriſt's Habitual and Original righteouſneſs; they making the ſanctity of his Humane Nature to belong to his Juſtitia, Perſonae, rather than to his Juſtitia Meriti or Juſtitia Fidejuſſoria; and they looking upon it onelyonly as the neceſſary qualification of his Perſon to fit him to be a Mediator, and alſo as that which was neceſſary in order to the meritoriouſneſs of his Obedience; but denying that it is directly and formally made over by imputation to the Believer. But as to this (which is the Veritas Rei), as I ſaid before I will not at all concern my ſelf about that; I am onelyonly to enquire whether this Interpretation be proper to the Text and rightly grounded upon it, (which is the Veritas Loci). And truly that I queſtion very much, and muſt ſay with the learned De Dicu, Neſcio an id ſpectaverit Apoſtolus, &c. I know not whether that was the thing which the Apoſtle here had in his eye. I humbly conceive, the Words without great ſtraining cannot be brought to this Senſe, their main ſcope and intendment looking to a quite Other thing. And that branch of them [in Chriſt Jeſus], upon which they who cloſe with the Expoſition before us lay ſo great a ſtreſs, will bear another explication much more eaſie and genuine, (as you will hear by and by).

2. Secondly, Others underſtand by [the Law of the Spirit of Life and the Law of Sin and Death], the Law of Faith and the Law of Works, or the Evangelical and the Maſaical Law. You read p. 157Rom. 3.27. of the Law of Faith and of Works, (two very oppoſite and contrary Laws); now by that twofold Law Some open the Law of the Spirit, and the Law of Sin and Death. Thus**I ex ergo Spiritur vitae eſt Lex Fidei: Nam & Moyſi Lex eſt Spiritualis, quia prohibet peccare, non tamen vi…ae, &c. ('Tis too large to be written out). Ambroſe expounds it; The Law (ſaith he) of the Spirit of Life, it is the very Law of Faith:**Chryſoſtome diſtinguiſhes much to the ſame purpoſe, foreign. Chryſoſt, in loc. "The Law of Moſes was a Spiritual Law, becauſe it forbad Sin, but it was not the Law of the Spirit of Life, becauſe it could not remit Sin, and ſo quicken the dead. But this (Law of Faith) is the Law of the Spirit of Life, becauſe it doth not onelyonly reſtrain Sin, but it alſo reſtores from death, &c. This Law in Chriſt Jeſus (that is) by Faith, doth free the Believer from the Law of Sin, and Death. The Law of Sin is that which dwells in the members, which perſuades to that which is contrary to the Will of God; the Law of Death is the Law of Moſes, becauſe it kills Sinners: And no wonder that this Law ſhould be the Law of Death, when the Goſpel is to ſome the ſavour of death unto death: (and ſo he goes on in the further explication of it). Amongſt modern Interpreters Pareus follows this Expoſition, making the Law of the Spirit of life to be the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and the Law of ſin and death to be the Law of Moſes: The Goſpel ſaith he) is the Law of the Spirit becauſe 'tis attended with the conveyance of the Spirit; the Law of Moſes was ſpiritual but not the Law of the Spirit becauſe it did not convey the Spirit: And that was the Law of Sin becauſe it diſcovered ſin, irritated ſin, made ſin to be ſin; and of Death too, becauſe it had a killing virtue in it; 2 Cor. 3.6. The letter killeth but the ſpirit giveth life. Thus Pareus; who after he had laid down and opened his Opinion, thus concludes, With ſubmiſſion to other mens judgments, I judge this to be the moſt plain and genuine meaning of this place. This way very many**Lex Spiritu…, &c. eſt doctrina Evangehi fide apprehenſa. Oſiand. Fortaſſe & legem Moſe intelligit per legem peccati & mortis, à quâ etiam lege liberati ſumus, in vulgato Jeſu Chriſti Evangelio. Maſſus. Utraque eſt Spiritus Sancti ut actoris, utraqne eſt Spiritus noſtri directiva…, ſed haec eſt Spiritus Sancti, quatenus eſt vivificator noſter in Jeſu Chriſto, &c. Cajetan. Legem peccati vocat literam Legis, quae peccatum excitare ſolet, & damnationem revelare. Vatabl. Opponitur haec Lex Spiritus Legi Moſaicae. Crell. Poſſet etiam per Legem peccati & mortis intelligi Lex Moſis, &c. Perer. Vide Lud. de Dieu in loc. Baldwin. Dr. Hammond in Paraphr. Others go (either as to the whole, or as to the moſt conſiderable part of it).

p. 158But neither ſhall I cloſe with this Interpretation; and that for two Reaſons: I. Becauſe though the Goſpel may very well be ſtiled the Law of the Spirit of life, yet it ſounds ſomewhat harſh to call the Moſaical Law (God's own Law) the Law of ſin and death. There is (I grant) ſomething of truth in it, and it may admit of a very fair and ſound explication; but then there muſt be a great deal of ſtating and limitation and cautioning before you can come at it. And therefore many**—foreign, &c. Chryſoſt. Legem peccati & mortis non auſim cum quibuſdam accipere pro Lege Dei, &c. Quamvis enim peccatum augendo mortem generet, Paulus tamen ab hâc invidiâ conſultò ſupra deflexit. Calvin. His verbis non ſignificatur Lex Moſaica, &c. Pet. Mart. Expoſitors do not approve of the application of this title to the Moſaical Law. Nay, our Apoſtle himſelf warns us againſt it; (whoſe way and cuſtome it was, whenever he had touch'd upon any thing which might ſeem to reflect any diſparagement upon the Law, preſently to ſubjoin ſomething for the vindication of its honour): Rom. 7.7. What ſhall we ſay then? is the law ſin? God forbid! when the commandment came, ſin reviv'd and I dy'd: and the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death, &c. yet (ſaith he) the law is holy and the commandment holy, and juſt, and good: was then that which was good made death to me? God forbid! but ſin that it might appear ſin, working death in me by that which is good; that ſin by the commandment might become exceeding ſinful: No man did ever depreſs the Law more than Paul did (in the matter of Juſtification), yet in other reſpects none did ever more vindicate and exalt it. Well! this is one Reaſon why I ſhall not fall in with this Senſe.

A Second is this, becauſe the Apoſtle here is not treating of the Law-ſtate or Goſpel-ſtate, or of the Covenant-aàminiſtration proper to either; but he is (more cloſely) treating of the State of Nature and of Grace, of freedome from Condemnation by the taking away of ſins power and guilt; in purſuance of which, he pitches upon Sanctification by the Spirit and Satisfaction by the Son. And therefore though the Former Notion may be taken in, yet certainly that which directly falls in with the Latter (as that Senſe will which I ſhall preſently give), muſt be moſt agreeable to the Apoſtles Scope in this place.

3. Thirdly by [the Law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus] Some underſtand nothing but the very Spirit of Chriſt Jeſus: They make the Law of the Spirit to be the very Spirit it ſelf, and nothing more; (thus**foreign. Chryſoſt. (Theophyl. O…cumen. Theodor. ſay the ſame). Lex Spiritus, i. e. Lex quae eſt Spiritus. Aquin. Chryſoſtome and his Followers). This is a very good p. 159foundation to build upon, but yet without ſome further addition it will not ſo fully reach that ſpecial matter in the Words which hath a great weight and emphaſis in it.

4. Fourthly therefore, Others do interpret them not onelyonly as pointing to Gods Spirit, but (to make it the more expreſs) they conſider the Spirit of God as renewing, as regenerating, as working the new and heavenly life in the Soul with great power and efficacy. The Spirit is ſtiled the Spirit of life both as he is a living Spirit himſelf, and alſo as he is a quickening Spirit to the Creature; as he makes Sinners who were**Eph. 2.1.Eph 2:1 dead in treſpaſſes and ſins to live, by working Grace and Regeneration in them and ſo life thereby. But what is the Law of the Spirit of Life? why, 'tis the mighty power of the regenerating Spirit put forth upon men in order to the freeing of them from the power and dominion of ſin. There are (I know) ſundry other explications given of it:(a)(a)Lex-Spiritus vitae una eademque eſt quae & Lex Dei, ſicut una eademque eſt Lex peccati & mortis; Nihil damnationis erit his, qui Lege peccati quae eſt Lex mortis liberantur, & Legi Dei quae eſt Lex Spiritus ſerviunt. Orig. Origen makes it to be the Law of God in general which (ſaith he) is alſo the Law of the Spirit; (b)(b)Lex Spiritus perinde ſonat, q. d. Legem Spiritualem, juxa proprietatem ſermonis Hebraici. Eraſm.Eraſmus opens it by the Spiritual Law; (c)(c)Eſt periphraſis Legis Gratiae, quam Spiritus Sanctus renovator & vivificator mentis humanae ſcribit in cordibus quae inhabitat. Perer. Legem Spiritus vocat Gratiam Chriſti, quâ Lex Dei per Spiritum Sanctum ſcribitur in cordibus noſtris. Eſtius.Pererius and Eſtius, by that grace of Chriſt or of the Spirit by which he writes the Law in the Heart; (d)(d)Lex Spiritus vitae, i.e. certa & indubitata in Chriſtum fides, &c. Per Antitheſin Legi peceati, fidem in Deum per Chriſtum Legem appellat, abutens vocabulo Legis. Zuinglius.Zuinglius by the grace of Faith; (ſeveral ſuch Gloſſes are put upon it which I ſhall not further make recital of.) That explication which I have laid down is moſt(e)(e)Cum Puulus utitur Voce Legis, loquitur Metaphoricè, nam per Legem intelligit Vim & efficaciam. Pet. Martyr. Lex Spiritus Metaphorioè vis quaſi imperans & dominans. Gomor. uſual and common; and ſo (to be brief) all comes to this; The Spirit of Life is the Holy Spirit of God, which is a living Spirit in himſelf, and which alſo as a regenerating Spirit works the divine and ſpiritual Life in the Soul; and The Law of the Spirit of life is the power and commanding efficacy of the Sanctifying Spirit in his gracious operations upon the Hearts of ſuch and ſuch perſons, by which they are made free from the Law of Sin and Death, that is, from the abſolute domination, tyranny, and full power of Sin and Death. Before I go off from this One thing muſt be added, (viz.) that though Law be here joyned with the Spirit of life yet 'tis to be taken not as ultimately referring to the life, but rather to that which follows hath made me free from the Law of ſin, &c. I mean this; Great is that power which the Spirit puts forth in renewing and (thereby) quick'ning the Soul, yet p. 160his power as terminating in that effect is not here mainly intended; but 'tis the power of the Spirit terminating in the deliverance of the Sinner from Sins dominion which is here intended: that (I ſay) is the proper terminus of the Spirits power in this place, and whatever power the Spirit puts forth in the life (or Regeneration), that is here mentioned but as the way or medium of the Spirit in his making free from the Law of Sin and Death.

This Interpretation of the Words I judge moſt agreeable to the Apoſtles Scope in them, and therefore I ſhall handle them according to it: and then the Connexion will lie thus, There is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. becauſe by the mighty power of the regenerating and enlivening Spirit Such are freed from the command and rule of Sin, ſo that it doth not reign over them as formerly it did; and they being thus freed from the power of Sin, conſequently they are alſo freed from the power of Death, eſpecially of eternal Death; ſo that moſt certainly there is no Condemnation to them.

But now againſt the truth of what is here aſſerted a Queſtion or Objection may be raiſed; How doth Paul here ſay that he was made free from the Law of ſin, when in the preceding Chapter he had ſo much complained of it? you have him there bewailing it over and over, therefore how is that conſiſtent with what he here lays down? I will not at preſent ſtay to anſwer this Objection, but in the handling of one of the Obſervations it ſhall be anſwered.What is it which is in Chriſt Jeſus?

Upon the review of the Words I find one thing in them which as yet hath ſcarce been touch'd upon, that therefore muſt be a little opened and then I ſhall have done with the Explication of them. 'Tis here ſaid the Law of the Spirit of life [in Chriſt Jeſus], now it may be ask'd what doth this [in Chriſt Jeſus] refer to? or what is that in ſpecial which is in Chriſt Jeſus? is it the Life? or the Spirit? or the Law of the Spirit? (for all of theſe go before): I anſwer, Each and all of them in different reſpects may be ſaid to be in Chriſt Jeſus, but I conceive 'tis ſpoken chiefly with reſpect to the Spirit it ſelf.

1. The Life (wrought in the Soul at and by regeneration) that is in Chriſt Jeſus: partly as he by the Spirit doth work that Life, and partly as he preſerves and keeps up that Life when it is wrought. The ſpiritual life here as well as the eternal life hereafter is in Chriſt; that of the Apoſtle (though it be ſpoken of the latter, yet) is applicable to both, 1 Joh. 5.11. And this life is in his Son. Beza (with**Lex Spiritus Vitae, eſt vis Spiritus quae vitam eam inſpirat quae eſt in Chriſto, quaeque vivitur ejus Spiritu. Bucer.—Illius (inquam) Spiritus, qui ad vitam aeternam ducit quam Chriſtus daturus eſt. Grot. Others, ſome of whom do a little differ in their notion of the life it p. 161ſelf) carries it in this reference, (according to his explication of the Spirit of life); and to make the thing more expreſs he would have an Article inſerted and added to the Words, thus, foreign.

2. The Spirit is in Chriſt Jeſus: And it may be ſaid to be ſo upon a fourfold account;

(1.) As it was at firſt poured out upon him in his Humane Nature and doth yet reſide in him in a very high and eminent manner: For God gave not the Spirit by meaſure to him (as he doth to us) Joh. 3.34. he was full of the Holy Ghoſt Luk. 4.1. anointed with the Holy Ghoſt Acts 10.38. 'twas propheſied of him that the Spirit of the Lord ſhould reſt upon him Iſa. 11.2. Chriſt as man hath the ſpecial reſidence of the Spirit in him and the ſpecial communication of the Spirit to him; 'tis in all the Saints but eminently 'tis in Chriſt Jeſus.

(2.) 'Tis the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, not onelyonly in reſpect of the great acts and operations of this Spirit in and upon Chriſt himſelf, but alſo in reſpect of the Order of the Spirit in its operations: for it(a)(a)See of this Dr. Sibbs in The Spiritual Jubille, p. 36, &c. firſt wrought in and upon Chriſt, in the ſanctifying of his Humane Nature, in the fitting of him for his Sufferings, in the ſupporting of him under his Sufferings, &c. and then ſubſequently it works in and upon Believers according to their capacity.

(3.) The Spirit may be ſaid to be in Chriſt Jeſus, as he doth convey and give this Spirit where he pleaſes. Then the in Chriſt Jeſus is as much as(b)(b)foreign. Occumenius. Lex Spiritus vitae, i. e. gubernatio Spiritus vitalis, quem ſuppeditat Chriſtus, non ſolum admonens nos exemplo mortis ſuae ad charitatis opera perficienda, ſed etiam operans illam in cordibus noſtris. Oecolamp. by Chriſt Jeſus; the Spirit is given and doth work as a regenerating Spirit (or the Spirit of life) according to the will and good pleaſure of Chriſt.

(4.)(c)(c)In Chriſto Jeſu, quia non datur niſi his qui ſunt in Chriſto Jeſu. Aquin. As this Spirit is given onelyonly to thoſe who are in Chriſt.

Men out of Chriſt have nothing to do with it, his Members are onelyonly its Temples; without the Spirit there's no Ʋnion, and without the Ʋnion there's no Spirit. As the Member doth not participate of the Animal Spirit but as 'tis united to the Head; ſo a man doth not participate of the bleſſed quickening Spirit of God but as he is united to Chriſt: (but theſe things will be more largely inſiſted upon when I come to the ninth and tenth Verſes). Now the Words (which I am opening) mainly point to this; what is it which is in Chriſt Jeſus? why, 'tis the Spirit it ſelf: therefore(d)(d)Placet ſupplementum (qui) ut referatur ad Spiritum, & in Graeco ſubaudiatur foreign, quaſi ſcriptum ſit foreign. Piſcat. So Eraſm. Some alſo would have an Article inſerted here to make the reference to the Spirit more clear, thus, foreign.

p. 1623. Then as to the Third and Laſt thing, the Law of the Spirit that too is in Chriſt Jeſus. Thus, that mighty power which the Spirit at any time doth exert in the work of Regeneration, it is conveyed to a perſon and doth take hold of him in Chriſt Jeſus, that is, in and through Chriſt; viz. as this effectual Operation of the Spirit is grounded upon Chriſt's purchaſe, and is put forth in purſuance of Chriſt's redeeming love. (This is a truth which might be largely opened, but I fear I have been too long already upon the clearing up of this Branch of the Text).

And yet I cannot omit to tell you, that there's One reference more (which**Quamquam nihil vetat, quin illa verba, foreign, conſtruantur cum verba ſequente foreign &c. Piſcat. in Schol.. Some do mention); as this [in Chriſt Jeſus] may refer to and be joyned with the Word [foreign] hath made free: Then the Senſe would be this, 'tis by Chriſt that Saints are made free from Sin and Death; ; whatever ſpiritual freedome Believers have they owe it all to Chriſt, he hath the great hand in it as the Efficient and meritorious Cauſe thereof. But this I'le paſs by, becauſe though it be a thing unqueſtionably true, yet the generally received pointing of the Words will not admit it to be here intended.

I have now finiſhed the Explicatory part; the difficulty of the Words and the different Expoſitions put upon them (all of which may be uſeful though all are not ſo pertinent and proper) muſt be my Excuſe for my being ſo redious and prolix upon it.

Having given you their proper ſenſe and monning, I ſhould next draw out thoſe Doctrinal Truths which are contained in them; but that I ſhall not do at preſent: OnelyOnly there's One of them which I ſhall mention and briefly cloſe with;How the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life. 'tis this, The Holy and Bleſſed Spirit is the Spirit of Life: ſo he is here expreſly ſtiled, the Law of the [Spirit of Life]. Which Words are applied to the Witneſſes Rev. 11.11. where 'tis ſaid of them that the Spirit of Life from God entred upon them; but yet know, though 'tis the ſame words yet 'tis not the ſame ſenſe. For by the Spirit of Life as applied to the Witneſſes, nothing is meant but their civil living again in their reſtunration to their former Power, Office, Liberties of Service, &c. but when 'tis applied to the Great Spirit of God it carries a quite other and much higher ſenſe in it. What's that? why, it notes his living in, himſelf, and alſo his being the Cauſe of Life to the Creature: He's the Spirit of Life

1. Formally.

2. Effectively or Cauſally.

(A few words to each!)

1. Firſt as to the Formal Notion. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life as he is a living Spirit, as he lives in himſelf or hath p. 163life in himſelf: For as the Father hath life in himſelf, and hath given to the Son to have life in himſelf (Joh 5.26), ſo the Spirit hath life in himſelf alſo. And 'tis not an ordinary or common life which the Spirit lives, but 'tis the ſelf ſame life which the Father and the Son do live: he being truly God lives the ſame increated, infinite, independent, bleſſed life which the two Other Perſons do.**Genitivus Hebraico more pro Epitheto ponitur. Calvin. Eſt Genitivus Epitheti loco. Eſtius. Expoſitors generally obſerve, that Life when 'tis here joyned with the Spirit is not to be taken Subſtantive but Adjective; 'tis according to the Hebrew I diome, where when two Subſtantives are put together the Latter of which is in the Genitive Caſe, that is to be rendred as an Adjective or as an Epithete of the Former: as the Bread of life is living bread, the Water of life is living water, the Glory of Grace is glorious Grace, &c. ſo here the Spirit of life is the living Spirit. Theophylact (joyning this Life with the Law going before) ſaith this is ſpoken foreign, as if the Law of Life was ſet in oppoſition to the Law of Sin and Death: but Life is not to be joyned with the Law but with the Spirit himſelf.

2. Secondly the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life Effectively or Cauſally. He is a quickening, a life-beſtowing or life-working Spirit in the Creature; he makes Sinners to live, and is the ſpring of that heavenly and ſupernatural life which is in the gracious Soul. As he hath life in Himſelf ſo he communicates it to Others, he is not onelyonly a living Spirit but he is alſo foreign a quickening Spirit. And this is One of his great acts, namely to quicken: he's the Spirit of **2 Cor. 3.17.2 Cor 3:17liberty and he's alſo the Spirit of life, he's a teaching, inlightning, convincing, ſtrengthening, comforting, purifying Spirit, and he's alſo an enlivening and quickening Spirit. And as the Father and the Son live in themſelves and quicken **Joh. 5.21.John 5:21whom they will, ſo the Holy Ghoſt too hath life in himſelf and quickens whom he will, (as he is ſaid to divide gifts to every one ſeverally even as he will, 1 Cor. 12.11). The Spirit is**Oecumen. foreign the guide and the giver of the ſpiritual life; as the Soul gives life to the Body ſo the Spirit of God gives life to the Soul; in which reſpect he is called**Dicitur Spiritus vitae, quód animam vegetet & vivificet divinâ gratiâ. Contzen. Sicut Spiritus naturalis facit vitam naturae, ſic Spiritus Divinus facit vitam Gratiae. Aquin. the Spirit of life.

And this Life or Quickening by the Spirit is either that which is at the firſt Converſion, or that which is ſubſequent and follows after Converſion.

1. Firſt there is that Life which is proper to the firſt Converſion. p. 164When the Sinner is converted he's quickened or made alive, for indeed till that great work was done in him, in a ſpiritual ſenſe he was no better than a dead man; before renewing grace there's no life, 'Tis the regenerating Spirit which inſpires this into the Soul; I ſay into the Soul, for that's the receptive ſubject of this Life: There is another Life or quickening (to be wrought alſo by the Spirit) which is proper to the Body, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks here Verſe 11:—ſhall alſo quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you; (in reference to which Chriſt too is called a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45): but the proper ſubject of the preſent and ſpiritual enlivening by the Spirit, is the Soul. Now take a man before Converſion he hath a Soul ſpiritually dead, he lives the life of Nature, the common animal life and that's all; but when the Spirit comes and renews him it breaths a divine and excellent life into him. Eph. 2.1. You hath he quickned who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins: Luk. 15.32.—for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again. The Spirit of life is the Spirit of regeneration, and he working as a regenerating Spirit is the Spirit of life.

2. There is the Spirits quickning after Converſion: For this (in ſuch a ſenſe) is a continued, abiding, repeated act; we are but once regenerated and therefore but once habitually quickned, but the actual and ſubſequent quickning is renewed and reiterated from time to time. This lies in the exciting and actuating of the ſeveral Graces, the taking off the deadneſs of the heart in holy Duties, the drawing out of vigoxous and lively deſires after God and Chriſt, the raiſing and ſtirring up of the Affections, &c. And all this is done by the Spirit of life alſo; the life and livelineſs too of a Chriſtian is from the vital, quickning influences of the Spirit; without which there can be no ſpiritual vivacity in him. Therefore the Spouſe pray'd**Cant. 4.16.Song 4:16 Awake O North wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out: ſhe directed her prayer to the Spirit, and what did ſhe pray for? for that which I am upon (viz.) the enlivening and exciting of her Graces; ſhe expreſſes it metaphorically but this was the thing which her Soul breath'd after. To apply this in a word (for 'tis not a point which I intend to ſtay upon).

Sirs!Ʋ. S. R. You ſee whether you are go for life. Here's the Spirit of life, to him therefore you muſt apply your ſelves for life, 'tis the living Spirit which muſt make you live. Are you not ſpiritually dead? is not this the ſad condition of all who lie in the Natural State? what are ſuch but as ſo many walking Ghoſts? they are no p. 165better than dead even whilſt they live, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Widow that lives in pleaſure 1 Tim. 5.6); is not Grace the Life of the Soul? what is Life it ſelf but a kind of Death without Chriſt and Grace? foreign, (ſaith Ignatius): Alas! you may move, walk, breath, eat, drink, ſleep, put forth all the ſeveral acts of the animal Life, and yet for all this (in reference to any ſpiritual Life) be but dead perſons. And is it ſo with any of you? O why do you not fly to the Spirit of Life that you may be quickned? God convince you of the miſery of ſpiritual Death that you may endeavour to get out of it! and God convince you of the glory, excellency, neceſſity of the ſpiritual Life, that you with the moſt earneſt deſires purſue after it! what is is to have the Life of Nature and to want the Life of Grace▪ to have living Bodies without and dead Souls within? to be able to doe whatever is proper to Nature, and not to be able to put forth one vital act of Grace? Is not the ſpiritual death a certain forerunner of the eternal death? can he that is dead here (being without God) hope to live with God hereafter? O that you would be perſuaded to make out after the ſpiritual Life! I would in hearty deſires ſay that for every dead Soul which they once wrote upon the Tomb of dead Brutus, utinam viveres, would to God that thou mighteſt live! But how ſhall that be accompliſhed? why thus, here's the Spirit of Life, whoſe Office it is to quicken the dead; whoever thou art therefore if thou wilt but betake thy ſelf to this Spirit, he can and he will give thee Life: Life thou muſt have, (for 'tis better to have no Life than not to have this Life); Life thou maiſt have, nay Life thou ſhal… have if thou wilt but implore, improve, wait, depend upon this Spirit of Life.

Further, you that are Saints in whom the quickning Spirit hath effectually wrought, yet do not you find your ſelves too often under great deadneſs? (certainly you are great ſtrangers to your ſelves if you do not find it to be ſo); you are not dead yet often under deadneſs: O now whenever 'tis ſo with you (and you groan under it as your burden), do you alſo apply your ſelves to this Spirit of Life. You go to Duty, attend upon Ordinances, pray, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, and you would fain be lively in all; would you be ſo indeed? look upwards then, as knowing 'tis the Spirit of Life that muſt make you ſo. Quickning Grace is very pretious to the Soul that is ſincere; a Child of God cannot be without it; he cannot be ſatisfied in the bare having of grace unleſs it be lively▪ nor with the bare performance of Duty unleſs he be lively in it. p. 166How earneſt was David in his prayers to God for it! Pſal. 119.25, 37, 40, 88. Quicken thou me according to thy word: Quicken thou me in thy way: Quicken me in thy righteouſneſs: Quicken me after thy loving kindneſs, (the earneſtneſs of his deſires after it made him go over it again and again). And no wonder it is ſo, for how ſweet are Ordinances to a gracious perſon when he hath life in them? when therein he can get his Graces up, his Affections up and lively, when he prays and hath life in prayer, hears and hath life in hearing, receives and hath life in receiving, O then great is his joy! Deadneſs very much hinders Comfort in Duty, as the Soul is quickned ſo proportionably 'tis comforted. In order therefore to this how doth it concern you to improve the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Life? who can thus animate and enliven you but he? he who freed you from the Law of Sin and Death muſt alſo free you from all that dulneſs and deadneſs of Spirit which ſometimes poſſeſſes you: therefore when David was deſiring this mercy he puts the Spirit before it, Thy Spirit is good, &c. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy names ſake: Pſal. 143.10, 11. Indeed as none can cleanſe the filthy heart but the purifying Spirit, nor ſoften the hard heart but the mollifying Spirit, ſo none can enliven the dead heart but the quicking Spirit. When the Child was dead the Prophet ſent his ſtaff but that would not do the work, the Child did not revive till the Prophet came himſelf; ſo you may have quickning Means, and quickning Ordinances, and quickning Providences, but if this quickning Spirit doth not come himſelf you will be dead ſtill. O therefore whenever you find the Heart under inward deadneſs, preſently carry it to this quickning Spirit for quickning Grace! I would not have any here miſtake me, to put a wrong interpretation or make bad inferences from what hath been ſpoken, ſo as to ſlight, neglect, caſt off External Means, Ordinances, Duties, becauſe they are but dead things of themſelves and 'tis the Spirit onelyonly which gives life; (Some infer ſuch a practiſe from the premiſes but they do it very unwarrantably). For 'tis true that the Spirit of Life onelyonly quickens, but then he doth this for men when they are in the uſe of and in attendance upon the Means; he firſt quickens to duty and then in duty and by duty: his way and method is to give out his enlivening influences when the Soul is waiting in holy Ordinances. And therefore theſe muſt be highly valued and duely attended upon, though it be the Spirit onelyonly which works in them effectually upon the heart. 'Twas the the Angel moving the Waters that did the Cure, yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the p. 167Pool ſide; ſo 'tis here. 'Tis a good Caveat therefore that of Muſculus upon the Words, Iſta Spiritus Dei efficacia, &c. that efficacy of the Spirit (ſaith he) is always to be pray'd for, yet we muſt take heed that we have a due reſpect for thoſe outward Means which the Spirit will have us to make uſe of. (But no more of this).